It is always interesting to look at old fireplaces and see how elaborate they were and the story of the surroundings and buildings around it. One that is more famous is the fireplace located in the smoke room of the Titanic. This fireplace has been a part of films, articles, and frequently talked about for its beauty and functionality. It has been reported that a card game continued on in this very room as the life boats were being filled on deck. Not so sure as to how these men were able to stay calm during a time like that. The fireplace was made from Italian marble with Mother of Pearl inlay. Supposedly this fireplace was the only fully functional coal burning fireplace on the ship. All of the other rooms were heated by an advance venting system for that time period. The smoke room was used for second class gentleman to relax or play cards after dinner. I can only image the topics of conversation of politics, money, and philosophy that were discussed in this room and around the fireplace. It must have been a relaxing atmosphere because there is nothing like relaxing in front of an old fireplace during the cold nights. Looking back it is apparent that technology has come a long way. No longer do we need to depend on coal to run our fireplaces. In some cases we don’t even need a fireplace at all. We have the option of having an insert to heat our homes and they look just like a wood burning fireplace. The positive is you don’t have to worry about the buildup of creosote or your chimney catching fire. Although there are easier and safer ways of doing things it is always interesting to take a look back through history and see how far and advanced we have come.